Pedal control for drop-side cribs



Jan. 21, 1930. J. MICHAL 1,744,658

P EDAL CONTROL FOR DROP SIDE CRIBS Fil d Dec. 30. 192

)llllllll Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNKTED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES MIGHAL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STORKLINE FURNITURE CORPO- RATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS PEDAL CONTROL FOR DROP-SIDE CRIBS Application filed December 30, 1927. Serial No. 243,670.

My invention relates to cribs of the dropside type, dealing more particularly with an improvement inthat connection illustrated and described in the patent application filed by me concurrently with the present one.

The principal object of the invention treated in my present application is to provide an attachment for the appliance in my co-pending application which places the actuating point of the drop-side mechanism near the floor, so as to be operated by the attendant without raising the foot to a high position.

A further object of the novel attachment is to construct the same with a pivotal expedient which is of extreme simplicity.

Another object of the novel attachment is to so design the same that it is operated with extreme ease.

A final, but nevertheless important object of the invention is to construct the novel attachment with a minimum of parts, so that the addition of the same will involve a small cost.

\Vith the above objects in view and any others that may suggest themselves from the specification and claims to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a typical crib, illustrating the novel attachment as applied to the drop-side device of my c0-pending application;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation in the immediate area of the attachment, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a medial cross section of the mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a grouped perspective "iew of the novel pivotal expedient referred to above.

As in the structure of my co-pending application, 5 denotes the end posts, and 6 the angle-iron bed frame of a typical childs crib. The end posts are fitted with vertical guide rods 7 along which operates the drop-side 8, the latter actually consisting of the upper and lower rails 8 and the intermediate rods or other spacing material 9. Full lines show the normal position of the drop-side, and

finely dotted lines in Figure 1 denote the lowered position thereof.

The angle plates 11 applied to the frontal section of the frame bar 6 are attached by rivets 10, and between the wings 11 of the angle plates 11 the long bar 12 is situated, and made with the terminal reductions 12 which pass through the slots 11 out in the respective wings 11. The arcuate reductions 12 of the bar pass through similarly formed slots 11 to render the bar rockable in the wings, and the plate 13 is carried by the bar near each end, to be swung to rock the bar, such plate having the deflected portion l which formsa cam for the pin 14 projecting from the angle plate 15 carried by the lower dropside rail 8.

In the above structure, the plate 13 supports the drop-side by the resting of the pin 14 in the slot 15 of the plate. However, when the plate is swung to the position denoted by dotted lines in Figure 3, the pin ,loses its support, and the drop-side falls to the finely dotted position of Figure 1. Conversely, when the drop-side is restored to normal position, the attendant lifts the same with the hand and causes the pin 14 to crowd away the plate 13 until the slot 18" thereof is reached, at which point the plate swings back to normal position and locks the pin from falling and therefore the drop-side from descending.

In the novel embodiment or attachment, I seek to locate the control for the action just described near the floor, so that the attendant need not lift the foot to kick or urge the plate 13 when the drop-side is to be lowered, but may press a convenient pedal in proximity to the floor.

I To attain the novel result, I first attach a U-shaped hanger 25 to the frontal section of the frame bar-6 by forming the upper ends of the hanger with inward bends 25 and by bolting the sections of the hanger to the frame bar as indicated at 25 The hanger is thus rigidly supported by the bed frame. Between the sections of the hanger I locate a rod 26, whose upper end'is designed for connection to "an angle bracket 27 and the lower end for a similar connection to a pedal 28. The angle bracket 27 is riveted or otherwise secured as indicated at 27 inside the rocker bar 12, the wing or projecting portion receiving the rod 26. The pedal 28 is of fiat material, and seats in the bottom of the hanger 25, having a forward drop 28 in the nature of a receptacle for the convenient accommodation of the attendants foot or toe. The connection between the inner end of the pedal 28 and the wing of the bracket 27 with the rod 26 is of a linked or pivotal nature, but by a peculiar expedient. Referring particularly to Figure 4, the inner end of the pedal 28 is shown to be cut with a key slot 28 whose head portion is indicated at 28 For cooperation with this formation, the lower end of the rod 26 is cut with lateral notches 26 to define a T-shaped head 26*. Then the rod and the pedal are to be joined, the rod, which is of flat stock, is turned to the plane of the slot 28 and lowered with its head section 26 through said slot. As noted, the web portion 26 of the rod is appreciably wider than the width of the slot 28, and it will therefore be necessary to shift the rod in the direction of the enlargement 28 in order to permit the rod to be turned. \Vhen this is done, the web 26 becomes seated in the enlargement 28 and the T-head 26 lies transversely of the pedal and beneath the same. Therefore, as long as the rod is in a plane transverse to that of the slot 28, it is locked to the pedal; yet, I provide a sufiicient amount of play in the joint to permit a limited relative motion of the parts joined. Thus, with a similar joining of the rod with the bracket wing 27., the rod becomes linked to the bracket and to the pedal without the use of a single extra part, such as a hinge pin, special link or other intermediary. Obviously, when the foot is used to depress the pedal, the same rocks in the hanger as indicated by finely dotted lines, pushing the rod 26 in an upward direction which induces the rocking of the bar 12 and causes the plate 13 thereof to swing in an inward direction, as also indicated by dotted lines, whereby to permit the dropsideto fall.

It will be realized that in order to restore the parts to normal position, the plate 13 will have to be of heavy stock, so as to induce by its own weight the restoration of the rod 26 and pedal 28 to normal position. This action will also be aided by the Weight of the rod 26, which will of itself bear on the pedal to restore the same to normal position.

It will be seen that the novel attachment, when used in conjunction with the structure of my co-pending application, affords a very handy medium for the actuation of the dropside mechanism with comfort and no appreciable exertion. The device has no springs or other parts which are apt to bind or get out of order. Its action is very light and so simple that any person may readily become familiar With the same. The structure is exceedingly simple, does not detract from the neatness of the crib, and requires but slight expense for its manufacture and installation. One attachment has been shown in the illustration, placed near one end of the crib, but if it is desired the attachment may be placed at the center of the crib; or an attachment may be applied near each end of the crib to make the control handy whether the attendant is at one or the other end of the crib.

1. A securing and releasing mechanism for the drop side of a crib comprising a latch for the drop side, means for pivotally supporting said latch, a hanger depending from the crib, a foot'pedal for operating said latch pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the hanger, and an operating rod connecting the end portion of the pedal and the latch for operating the latch when the pedal is depressed.

2. A securing and releasing mechanism for the drop side of a crib comprising a latch for the drop side, means for pivotally supporting said latch in a-manner to permit it to swing transversely of said drop side, a hanger depending from the crib and having its lower end terminating near the ground, a foot pedal for operating said latch pivotally mounted on the lower end of said hanger and an operatlng rod connecting the pedal and latch for operation of the latch when the pedal is depressed.

A securing and releasing mechanism for the drop side of a crib comprising a pair of spaced angle plates, a latch for the drop side pivotally supported in depending position between said angle plates and provided with a recess, a pin carried by the drop side for engagement in said recess, a rearwardly extending arm associated with said latch, a foot pedal, a rod connecting the foot pedal and said rea-rwardly extending arm and adapted to be reciprocated upon the'depression of the foot pedal for operating said latch.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JAMES MICHAL. 

